The reason you stay vertical is because you have the "free leg" out in front of you or behind you to catch you from "falling" on your face. If you took the “free leg” out of the equation then you would “fall” flat on your face. The exercise to this action is to get used to the feel of “falling” on your face. The partner helps you so that you don’t actually reorganize your face.

Remember there is a big difference between what you feel, what you do and what you look like. Don’t get them mixed up as it will mix up your dancing and make everything take longer to understand and do.

Again this is one of those things that have to be experienced to be understood. There is really no other way of explaining it other then saying you should “fall flat on your face”. You understand the words as of right now and the words don’t make sense until you have experienced the action full out. You do have to get out of the “box” to get a full understanding of what is really meant.

My teachers told me to “fall on my face” for months and I totally understood the words but I was not doing it. It was not until I did the exercise and then implemented the exercise into my dancing that I really understood the words. I remember the day that I told my teachers (like I was teaching them ) that it should feel like you were “falling on your face” . They just smiled and said “you got it”.

So, to put it another way, you transfer your weight beyond the comfort zone? I've been working on something related with pro. The question is where does the moving foot go and when does it make contact. The answer, as I'm up to now is that it goes where the weight goes and makes contact approximately under the head. However, its definitely secondary to the movement of the body. In this the body (crotch up) acts as a different 'body' from the legs: the body maintains shape and poise while the legs are totally loose to swing.

So, to put it another way, you transfer your weight beyond the comfort zone?

YES, most defiantly yes.

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The question is where does the moving foot go and when does it make contact. The answer, as I'm up to now is that it goes where the weight goes and makes contact approximately under the head. However, its definitely secondary to the movement of the body. In this the body (crotch up) acts as a different 'body' from the legs: the body maintains shape and poise while the legs are totally loose to swing.

This will be a little different depending on what School of Thought you follow.

Good dancers dance "on the edge" and to do that with no fear, your do need to learn to go to the edge and beyond/over the edge with no fear. Many people have a fear of falling and most people can't even remember when they fell the last time (except you, SW ). That means they are letting a fear control their action/life and they can't even remember when happened last time. Once they have learned to fall flat on the floor, they are not afraid of going to the edge and even beyond. This means they will be experiencing a sensation of free fall for a split of a second, helping them to move further and with less effort.

I absolutely agree with you on this one.

I think that is one of the main difference as well between good and awesome dancers.

The awesome ones always seems to push things further, harder but still at the same time looking like they are truling enjoying themselves otherwise they will just look like a try hard dancer.

One couple in my studio can't understand why they can't beat another couple in the same studio.

I watched both couple practising and realise that the other couple always seems to be so full of energy and pushing themself to the limit.

The first couple actually have much better technique but when they dance the energy seems to be 50 % of the second couple. It just seems so flat and passionless.

When you projects energy and passion from the inside this is what should drive you to dance on the edge for the thrill and love of it not merely to impress other people.

I'm not sure that is true - that it can't be taught. DSV has described 'falling classes' (she alludes to them above) where dancers learn to fall so that they leanr to lose their fear of being on the edge. I've no idea, however, how well it works...

I'm not sure that is true - that it can't be taught. DSV has described 'falling classes' (she alludes to them above) where dancers learn to fall so that they leanr to lose their fear of being on the edge. I've no idea, however, how well it works...

Speaking of fear of being on the edge, I crap my pants every time I think I'm going to hit the mirror of the studio or crash into the chairs in the corner when doing consecutive pivots.

I'm not sure that is true - that it can't be taught. DSV has described 'falling classes' (she alludes to them above) where dancers learn to fall so that they leanr to lose their fear of being on the edge. I've no idea, however, how well it works...

I meant the passion and energy ... not the falling bit LOL !

I bungee jumped once ... well let's just say I never felt scared falling down ever again since !

I think that is one of the main difference as well between good and awesome dancers.

The awesome ones always seems to push things further, harder but still at the same time looking like they are truling enjoying themselves otherwise they will just look like a try hard dancer.

One couple in my studio can't understand why they can't beat another couple in the same studio.

I watched both couple practising and realise that the other couple always seems to be so full of energy and pushing themself to the limit.

The first couple actually have much better technique but when they dance the energy seems to be 50 % of the second couple. It just seems so flat and passionless.

When you projects energy and passion from the inside this is what should drive you to dance on the edge for the thrill and love of it not merely to impress other people.

This, can't be taught.

I do think this can be taught but of cause the dancer has to want to change. Change can only happen if the dancer wants to change. I saw my teacher help students that were terrified of falling get to a point of total fearless falling just by learning to fall in a controlled environment for the first many times. Then after a couple of weeks they lost the fear and would fall with no fear. I have also myself taught this technique to many students with equal success. I would say it is totally possible to learn to fall with 100% commitment.

I would that is right that you can't teach anybody passion and energy because we all have both within us. What I have found is that great teachers are able to help you find the passion and energy within. They are then able to help you find a way to express both in your dancing. Not everybody is going to feel the same passion for the same thing. So it is important to find what you are passionate about and show that. Energy is again something that is different for everybody. What and how each dancer chooses to use their energy varies greatly. What the teacher needs to help with is to find a way where your passion and energy has the biggest effect and again that varies. That is what makes dancing so beautiful to me in that everybody can dance the same step and yet look totally different.

I do think this can be taught but of cause the dancer has to want to change. Change can only happen if the dancer wants to change. DSV

Sorry for the OT post, but I am so completely frustrated w/ a teacher at this very moment b/c he sees that what he is doing is good, but not great. He asks for my opinion/advice, then spends incredible amounts of energy telling me/trying to prove that I am wrong, and that what he is doing will be better once everyone else adapts to his way of thinking.

Sorry for the OT mini-vent, but I am at my last nerve w/ this bloke, but have to work w/ him for a wee while longer.

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The most beautiful part of the dance is often found in between the steps... and in the movement within the stillness.

I do think this can be taught but of cause the dancer has to want to change. Change can only happen if the dancer wants to change. DSV

Sorry for the OT post, but I am so completely frustrated w/ a teacher at this very moment b/c he sees that what he is doing is good, but not great. He asks for my opinion/advice, then spends incredible amounts of energy telling me/trying to prove that I am wrong, and that what he is doing will be better once everyone else adapts to his way of thinking.

Sorry for the OT mini-vent, but I am at my last nerve w/ this bloke, but have to work w/ him for a wee while longer.

Sorry, when this happen I will normally tell the student that I was asked for an opinion and I gave it. I was not asking for his opinion and therefore don't want it.